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Announcing a Special BLR Audio Conference: The Challenges of an Aging Workforce

Solving the worker shortage by retaining your older workers brings many benefits, but an aging workforce also raises several challenges. An April 25 audio conference will tell you what you need to know. To anyone charged with filling office seats and production workstations, the numbers are frightening. The Baby Boom generation, just starting to reach […]

Immigration: Judge Halts No-Match Rule

In the current issue of the California Employer Advisor, we report on a new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulation mandating the steps an employer must take to verify an employee’s Social Security number (SSN) when the employer receives a “no-match” letter from the DHS or the Social Security Administration. Under the rule, employers would […]

Disciplining Harassers: Court Considers What Is An Adequate Response To Co-Worker Sexual Harassment

If an employee reports being sexually harassed by a co-worker, you could be on the hook for steep damages if you don’t effectively investigate and remedy the problem. You may be tempted to take drastic disciplinary measures against the harasser to ensure that you’ve met your legal obligations. But according to a new Ninth Circuit […]

Bulletin Item: Another Retailer Sued for Allegedly Requiring Clothing Purchases

Chico’s FAS is defending itself against a lawsuit brought by a former employee who claims she was required to purchase Chico clothing while working for the retailer. Chico’s says it merely encourages employees to wear its clothing, providing them with discounts on their purchases. This is just the latest in a string of similar lawsuits […]

Nine of 10 Employment Class Actions in 2010 Involved Wage and Hour Claims, Says Law Firm

Of all class and collective actions filed in 2010 claiming employment law violations, 91 percent involved federal and/or state wage and hour claims, according to the law firm Littler Mendelson LLC. Federal and state wage and hour class and collective actions filed during the 2010 calendar year totaled about 3,785 nationwide, according to data collected […]

Mental Health Parity Measure Part of Bailout Package

A mental health parity measure has been passed in Congress as part of the $700 billion financial rescue package. The measure requires covered employers that provide health plans to cover mental illness and substance abuse on the same basis as physical conditions. President George W. Bush signed the financial package on Friday, October 3. The […]

Family and Medical Leave: Supreme Court Says State Employers Can Be Sued for FMLA Violations; Little Impact in California

In recent years, several U.S. Supreme Court rulings have barred employees from suing states under a variety of federal employment statutes, including the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. But a new high court ruling gives state workers a victory, finding they can sue their employers for violating the Family […]

When Employee Privacy and Social Media Collide

By Lyne Duhaime An IBM employee from Quebec made headlines last month when her disability benefits were cut off by the insurance company after it saw pictures of her on Facebook. Despite being off work for depression, the employee had posted photos of herself on vacation at the beach and at a Chippendale’s show. When […]

Fines for Non-Compliance Add Up Fast in California

Penalties for noncompliance with California wage and hour laws can add up surprisingly fast, says attorney Christopher C. Hoffman. And it’s surprisingly easy to run afoul of California‘s many tricky requirements. (See yesterday’s CED to read Hoffman’s tips on rest periods and meal breaks in California.)